Canton, Massachusetts: Ordinance Would Ban E-Cigarette Sales in the city.

If enacted, this ordinance would:Make Canton, MA the first and only city to prohibit the sale of all modern smoke-free products -- including e-cigarettes, dissolvable tobacco and any other non-pharmaceutical nicotine product -- to adults. The ordinance may also ban the sale of snus.Specifically exempts the most hazardous tobacco products (cigarettes and other smoked tobacco products). The sale of a few smoke-free products would be permitted, but these (chewing tobacco and loose snuff) are not the harm-reduction products that smokers choose to switch to.Raises the age to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21, but still bans these adults from purchasing e-cigarettes and other less hazardous products.The Canton Board of Health in Canton, Massachusetts is currently considering an ordinance that would forever ban the sale of electronic cigarettes in the city, all while allowing cigarettes to continue to be sold. The Board of Health will consider the ordinance on Monday, August 12, 2013 at 7pm at the Canton Town Hall in the Salah Meeting Room at 801 Washington Street in Canton.

CASAA Director Karen Carey will be in attendance. If you are in the area and could attend and possibly speak, please e-mail CASAA at board@casaa.org.

Enactment of this ordinance would protect cigarette markets at the expense of smokers' health. Vapers from across the United States are encouraged to tell their story. Please see below on how to oppose this ordinance.What to say:

1. Let them know that you strongly oppose banning all sales of electronic cigarettes and other modern tobacco products, but that you would support such a ban on sales to minors.

2. Tell your story on how switching from smoking cigarettes to a far less hazardous alternative product has changed your life. When and why did you start using an e-cigarette? What effect has this had on your smoking of tobacco cigarettes? What has been the effect on your health?

3. Explain that research has consistently shown that virtually all e-cigarette users are using them as a substitute for smoking. The vast majority tried to quit smoking multiple times, using the other methods available and failed.

4. Tell them that there are thousands of e-cigarette users in Massachusetts who have benefited from the availability of e-cigarettes.

5. Direct them to the CASAA.org website and research library for more information.CASAA is urging its members to contact Canton, MA's Director of Public Health (who will distribute your comments to the Board of Health members). Please try to get your testimony in before 4:00 PM Eastern on Friday, August 9th.